Because why not?
I have a passion for tracking down that elusive rarity — songs that speak to our times of ecological collapse and don’t suck! And thanks to several Dark Optimism readers, my collection’s growing, from a wide range of genres.
Back in 2011, I published the first ‘Dark Optimism album’, but sadly it was lost due to my using an external MP3 player which later disappeared.
Just hit play below for the 2017 edition, with a few more recent favourites added to the mix:
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Honourable mentions also to these pieces from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Akala and RapNews, each brilliant in their own way, but not quite hitting the spot for this collection. Enjoy!
And any more songs (or other creative responses) that you’d like to share greatly welcomed in the comments below.
Shaun,
Take a listen to “(nothing but) flowers” by The Talking heads.
It may fit the criteria for your album.
Best,
d.
Ah, thanks Dalvin – yes, I know that one well! V interesting song 🙂
One that comes immediately to mind is Alice Phoebe Lou – She
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPH9j0qVM3A
If there is no object, I will nominate possibilities for album 2:
Phil Ochs – No More Songs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2o1Mno5yjqo
Ruth Mundy – Adani https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CqE37lmsvs
Ruth Mundy – Love in the Time of Coral Reefs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTFFOr_G6ZM
Many thanks Bill. Both artists were new to me, and I’m very glad to make their acquaintance.
“Love in the Time of Coral Reefs” brought me to tears, so that’s likely to make the cut!
You all may also enjoy Kid Beyond’s I Shall Be Free, though not directly eco-related, more on the idea of “waging peace.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4MFE9bfDYg
Thanks Vasa – it’s all interconnected alright. Nice track!
Hey mate. My band’s whole album fits the theme. Vanishing Point by The General Assembly. Enjoy! https://thegeneralassembly.bandcamp.com/album/vanishing-point
Cheers Matt, will have a listen. Hope you found something stimulating in my collection to date.
Hey shawn can you follow matslats and jembendell on twitter
[…] Dark Optimism – The Album […]
[…] — I’ll leave you with the song that has been the soundtrack to my personal Extinction Rebellion. […]
A few more suggestions:
Caravan of Love (Housemartins)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehfiQd7lcPY
Pharaoh – Richard Thompson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtM-QKqj0tg
London Calling – The Clash
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfK-WX2pa8c
River Man, by Nick Drake. These days, I cannot listen to it without being moved to tears.
Also – Dead Flag Blues, by Godspeed You! Black Emperor.
“The car is on fire, and there’s no driver at the wheel
And the sewers are all muddied with a thousand lonely suicides
And a dark wind blows
The government is corrupt
And we’re on so many drugs
With the radio on and the curtains drawn
We’re trapped in the belly of this horrible machine
And the machine is bleeding to death
The sun has fallen down
And the billboards are all leering
And the flags are all dead at the top of their poles
It went like this:
The buildings toppled in on themselves
Mothers clutching babies
Picked through the rubble
And pulled out their hair
The skyline was beautiful on fire
All twisted metal stretching upwards
Everything washed in a thin orange haze
I said, “Kiss me, you’re beautiful –
These are truly the last days”
You grabbed my hand
And we fell into it
Like a daydream
Or a fever
We woke up one morning and fell a little further down
For sure it’s the valley of death
I open up my wallet
And it’s full of blood”
Thanks Calum, that Godspeed song’s an old friend, but somehow I had failed to consider it for the album. Thanks for the nudge – it’s now strongly in the running for the next!
the Nick Drake song was new to me. It didn’t hit me hard on first listens, but I have the feeling it’s a slowburner…
Betty came by on her way
Said she had a word to say
About things today
And fallen leaves.
Said she hadn’t heard the news
Hadn’t had the time to choose
A way to lose
But she believes.
Going to see the river man
Going to tell him all I can
About the plan
For lilac time.
If he tells me all he knows
About the way his river flows
And all night shows
In summertime.
Betty said she prayed today
For the sky to blow away
Or maybe stay
She wasn’t sure.
For when she thought of summer rain
Calling for her mind again
She lost the pain
And stayed for more.
Going to see the river man
Going to tell him all I can
About the ban
On feeling free.
If he tells me all he knows
About the way his river flows
I don’t suppose
It’s meant for me.
Oh, how they come and go
Oh, how they come and go.
The lyrics feel strangely and impossibly prescient of our present predicament…like a poem written after a beautiful nightmare
[…] Dark Optimism – The Album […]
Jackson Browne’s latest album has two strong candidates for anthem of our ‘momvement’:
Which Side (Are You On)…about “the battle for the future”
Standing In The Breach (title track)
I regularly sing both at the top of my lungs!
Try ‘Fight them back’ by Steve Mason.
A weapon has been drawn
Upon your face since you were born
Not in shining steel
But all the currency, it’s porn
It wants you and desires you
And it draws you through its gate
As the heavy doors slam shut behind
I hope it’s not too late
https://youtu.be/2jvF2eIfk3c
Enjoying this playlist, thanks Shaun. But have you got any dance-able industrial metal eco-songs ???
For your next iteration, I’ll put in a plug for Mike Love – Permanent Holiday…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU7hZ3smj0g&cc_load_policy=1
…and Billy Bragg – World Turned Upside Down
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWRpl2S9iwk
Hey Dusty, your wish is my command!
I think this followed by that might hit the spot. But only on condition that you play them LOUD!! (no, louder than that)
I’ve danced my heart out to both many a time…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ejsM0VF-Os
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeeF1Mw093U
I’d love to say Gojira, since they’re so committed to the message, but I’ve never found one of their songs that musically quite hit the sweetest spot for me…
And Mike Love definitely has a shout for the slack economy anthem!
That Billy song’s a favourite of mine too 🙂
[…] For now though, I look forward to meeting many of you through all of the above offerings, and will close with one of my favourite emerging themes from the Conversations for Our Time over the past couple of years – the sharing of songs that speak to the times we’re in, new and old! […]